How to Become a Circus Makeup Artist ?

In this final installment of our "Spotlight on the Circus" series, we take a closer look at the work that goes into giving performers a captivating, mystical, and magical appearance.

There are many makeup schools and artistic makeup academies, both online and in-person. If you’re looking for a makeup school in New York, you shouldn't have any trouble finding one a simple Google search will return thousands of results. But what if you live in a remote area and don’t have access to in-person makeup courses? How do you decide which online makeup school to choose? We're here to help you answer that question.

What artistic skills do you need to have?

It depends. If you're a makeup artist working under the supervision of a lead artist, you might be teaching performers who travel. You must be able to replicate exactly what your head makeup artist has designed. You need to reproduce it sometimes in up to 50 steps. For the circus, it has to be an exact replica: same color, shape, lines, products and as fast as possible.

However, if you’re the one creating the makeup concept, you need to be able to think outside the box and be creative. Beyond mastering technique, you need to come up with new ideas and produce fresh looks.

As a circus makeup artist, you must know how to blend colors well, draw precise lines, and do it all consistently. You must adapt your work to the unique features of each performer. What is their hat, costume, act? You need to create a concept that doesn’t interfere with their performance and allows them to feel comfortable even with makeup on their face.

What makeup products are used in circuses?

Sometimes, specific brands are sponsors and are used exclusively. For example, Ben Nye is very well-known and widely used these days. But in general, any high-quality, water-resistant makeup brand will do the job.

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